Client: Meyer Design & Build, on behalf of Superdrug Stores Plc.
Originally constructed circa 1950 as two individual units facing on to a busy shopping precinct in central Portsmouth, the building has until recently housed both Topshop & Carphone Warehouse stores, before being acquired by Superdrug.
The building extends over three storeys with extensive retail space at ground and first floors with shop front access on to Commercial Road, with offices & storage over.
The client’s brief was simple, to amalgamate the two units into a single retail space which would become their flagship store in this key retail location.
Bloc worked closely with the Architect and contractor from the offset, supervising and co-ordinating extensive intrusive investigations to establish the building construction, which were key in developing a structural solution which maximised crucial retail floor space, whilst ensuring that the structural stability and robustness of the building was maintained.
The biggest constraint to the project involved the extensive removal of the central load bearing masonry wall at ground floor which supported a significant portion of the building load.
Bloc designed a system of repeating structural steel box frames allowing the formation of large 4.0 m openings to this key element whilst ensuring that both load paths & intensities remained unchanged at foundation level, omitting the requirement for costly & time consuming foundation works.
Bloc’s innovative and considered design reduced temporary works (i.e. propping / shoring) requirements significantly, reducing the anticipated build cost & programme. Crucially however this allowed the ‘follow-on’ fit-out and operational preparation works to commence ahead of the original programme and in good time for the targeted store opening date.
